Chapter 2

"Are you jealous of her?" Damiano asked.

I turned my face away. "I'm just saying it as it is."

He reached out and cupped my face. "Julia has been with me for many years. She's done a lot for this family, and she's one of the people I trust most."

His tone suddenly softened. "Come on, sweetheart. Don't make a fuss."

My expression darkened immediately.

Last year, Julia had made a serious mistake during an operation. Several Capos had demanded that she be stripped of her important responsibilities on the spot.

I had been there too.

Damiano had been sitting there with a dark expression while making a phone call. After everyone had finished speaking, he gave only one answer. "She stays."

When someone tried to argue further, his expression remained unchanged. "If anything goes wrong, I'll take responsibility."

After the meeting, I had reminded him, "You keep covering for her every time. What do you think the others will make of it?"

Damiano had frowned. "I know what kind of person she is. I trust her."

He'd smiled helplessly. "Don't overthink it."

"Isadora." Damiano's voice pulled me back to the present.

He was confirming tomorrow's routes when he suddenly frowned. "Wait. Isadora can't take the old port route. Change it to the southern route."

Last year, I was ambushed at the old port and was nearly killed.

Ever since then, I had been unable to stop my whole body from trembling whenever I passed through that area.

Because of that, Damiano always checked my routes before I went anywhere.

Julia suddenly spoke up. "Boss, could I have the southern route tomorrow? Someone recognized my car near the old port a few days ago. If I pass through there again, I'll easily be followed."

Damiano's brows furrowed slightly. He turned to look at me. "Isadora, you can take the old port route and give the southern one to–"

"Don't you know I can't bear to go there anymore?" I interrupted. My face turned pale.

"I know." He took my hand and softened his voice. "I'll assign more men to protect you. Come on now."

I lowered my head while trying to maintain my composure, but my thoughts were in such a mess that I could barely breathe. "I'm sorry."

I pulled my hand away, got to my feet, and hurried out. In my haste, I even knocked over a glass of water.

Back in my room, I immediately contacted the wedding planners.

The church reservation was canceled. The wedding reception venue was canceled. My final wedding dress fitting was canceled. All guest transportation arrangements were called off too.

At eleven that night, Damiano still hadn't returned.

The butler told me that suspicious vehicles had appeared near Julia's original residence, so Damiano had personally taken a team there to relocate her.

After hearing that, I let out a chuckle through tear-filled eyes.

Last year, I had also received a death threat at a charity gala.

Back then, Damiano had merely asked the head of security to escort me home.

I had asked him, "Aren't you coming with me?"

He had been sitting at the other end of the negotiating table.

"We have to finish the negotiations at the port today. You're going to be the Donna someday. You need to get used to this."

He finally returned in the early hours of the morning.

His phone screen lit up to reveal a message from Julia.

[Tomorrow afternoon, I'm going to meet the families of those injured men. They want to see you too.]

Damiano replied to her.

[I can't tomorrow. It's Isadora's birthday.]

Soon, Julia sent a pouting emoji.

[All right. I can handle it myself.]

Damiano's brows furrowed slightly. In the end, he gave in.

[I'll come by in the afternoon.]

Watching him reply to another woman while standing right beside me, I forced myself to hold back my tears.

'Since you put her first in everything, after tomorrow night, I'll be gone for good,' I thought.